Stories of the Day

Rest in peace Kayla. How long are we going to let this kind of thing continue? “The nightmare started in the summer of 2013, when Kayla Mueller and her boyfriend were forced off the road and kidnapped by the Islamic State.

While her boyfriend was eventually released, the 26-year-old aid worker spent the next several months shuttling between holding cells – a children’s hospital in Aleppo, an industrial area near the Turkish border, and the ISIS stronghold of Raqqa.

Obama Lies, AGAIN

Shocker. “In the course of relating his many experiences at the White House, Miller confirms, Axelrod admits openly that President Obama “misled Americans for his own political benefit when he claimed in the 2008 election to oppose same sex marriage for religious reasons.” “Obama,” he adds plainly and without nuance, “was in favor of same-sex marriages during the first presidential campaign, even as [he] publicly said he only supported civil unions, not full marriages.” In and of itself, Miller notes, this dishonesty is disappointing. But, for Obama in particular, it has deleterious consequences, prompting us as it does to call “into question the President’s stated embrace of a new kind of politics” and his promise “to be unlike other politicians who change their views to match the political winds.” Is it possible, one can see it asked between the lines, that the whole “hope and change” malarkey was a circus act?” Was Obama’s Gay-Marriage Stance a Noble Lie or Cynical Opportunism? Either way, the hope-and-change malarkey was a circus act.

Does Obama ever tell the truth? “There’s just one problem: He’s both a coward and an inveterate liar. So everytime he drops a would-be #Truthbomb on us, the coward then sends out his minions to lie on his behalf and say he didn’t mean what he obviously meant.

Lying just doesn’t get the reaction it used to. Especially when it’s a Democrat doing the lying. “So, let’s recap. Axelrod admits that (a) Obama lied (b) mainly to his religious black supporters (c) about not only his opposition to gay marriage, but about his religious beliefs (d) in order to win election. And then he lied about his change of heart, which was no change at all but a strategic move. And Axelrod admits this in a book called, ironically Believer (I haven’t read the book, but from the title it appears the “believer” is Axelrod as a political animal). (snip)

Most politicians do that to a certain extent, but Obama does it to a greater degree, and he has become much more open about the fact that he lies, because he realizes that most of America just doesn’t seem to care. This seems relatively new, and bodes ill for the future of the country, because the less we demand of our politicians the less we will get.” Axelrod admits Obama lied, nation yawns

Remember folks, we’ve got another two years of lies. “As attempted denials go, this one is about as lame as they come. It’s hard to even know where to begin here, but the President’s own words indicate the depths he’s having to sink to after Axelrod painted him into this corner. First of all, how can someone mix up your personal feelings with your position on an issue? Does this mean that you take positions which are contrary to your personal feelings? And more to the point, you apparently do so without letting the rest of us in on this internal conflict? That’s nonsensical.” Obama: Saying I misled you all on gay marriage “isn’t quite accurate”

Obama and Russia

Flexibility. “On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved but it’s important for him to give me space,” Obama said with a brotherly arm pat, noting 2012 was his last election. Medvedev responded, “I will transmit this information to Vladimir.”

It was long thought that Obama’s gaffe, caught on an open mic during one of those frequent summits national leaders feel the need for, dealt only with the Democrat giving away more to Russia on missile defense. (Scroll down to hear the whispers not intended for his own countrymen’s ears.)

But Obama has elongated the nuclear “negotiations” with Iran to no end and Russia’s benefit. Obama slapped sanctions on Russia that have surely hurt the Russian economy but produced zero effect on that country’s relentless military destabilization of Ukraine.

And Obama has dithered more than a year now, with many more months to come apparently, over providing vital defensive weapons for Ukraine’s elected government to fight Russian-backed insurgents. Obama’s Codeword: Strategic Patience. Dmitry and Vlad are no doubt appreciative.” That sinister ‘flexibility’ Obama promised Russia finally emerges

Obama, Muslims, Jews, Israel and the Middle East

For Obama some lives matter more than others. “Now I live in an era when Barack Obama and so many others are trying to remind me and everyone post-Ferguson that #blacklivesmatter. Well, they do and they always did, for me and a lot of other people. But somehow our president, regarding Iran, Israel and the events in Paris, seems to have forgotten its obvious corollary: #Jewishlivesmatter. Until he gets that straight, I’ll be on the side of black people, but not for a second on his.” #JewishLivesMatter

“The president in his remarks informs the entire world, adversaries and friends alike, that we are not resolute, and not committed to victory over an identified enemy culture of atrocity and murder.” “The American left speaks with one voice to denigrate and dismiss any opinion they don’t agree with. It’s a way of diverting attention away from an unacceptable policy position from a man who, whether he likes it or not, is the leader of the free world. The survival of our values in large measure depends on the quality of his leadership. As such, he bears a greater responsibility in his statements than any of the talking heads who reflexively defend him.

When the president, in the same breath equates the actions of Christians during the Crusades 800 years ago with the atrocities of ISIS today, he has indeed, as I said, offended every believing Christian in the United States. The president may not like Christians, since many don’t vote for him or his party, but he represents them too, and they are entitled not to be used as a vehicle for his relentless world view that the United States is not exceptional, and no better than any other country.” Obama’s anti-American crusade comments: President offended Christians and undermined American leadership

“Less than inspiring.” “The Obama administration has conducted its reluctant and late-developing fight against ISIS since last fall under the auspice of the 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) that allowed George W. Bush to invade and then occupy Iraq. Technically, that AUMF could continue in force, but Democrats have long wanted to scrap it — especially between June 2011 and August 2014, when Barack Obama kept insisting that he’d ended the war in Iraq. Obama himself has demanded a more tailored AUMF but has been reluctant to draft it, preferring to pass the political risk to the other side of Pennsylvania Avenue.

With Republicans in control on Capitol Hill, though, Obama finally had no choice but to offer his own proposal for the AUMF that he’s demanding. The White House finally released it today, and it’s less than inspiring. (snip)

The entire purpose of this is to keep the failing strategy in place, not just through January 2017, but for almost another year after Obama leaves office. Perhaps Obama isn’t as sanguine about Hillary Clinton’s electoral chances as are other Democrats and media analysts. At any rate, this new AUMF is neither necessary nor prudent, and Congress should refuse to bind the hands of the next President in favor of a war strategy that’s already failing.” Obama sends AUMF proposal for ISIS fight to Congress

From the comments at HotAir.com: “Give Obama credit. It takes a lot of skill to strengthen Al Qaeda’s hand in many different countries and advance the cause of Islamic fascism across the Middle East while appearing on the surface to be trying to do the opposite.” “Last month, I wrote that the hasty evac has become the hallmark of a Barack Obama foreign-policy “success.” That was specific to Yemen, where the Arab Spring policies that turned Libya, Syria, and Iraq into failed states and nearly did the same for Egypt had borne its same fruit in Sana’a after Houthi rebels seized the capital. Three years after the Obama administration and the West forced Ali Abdullah Saleh out of power, Yemen has become so chaotic that the embassies of the US, UK, and France are closing, and their personnel getting evacuated. (snip)

Say, aren’t those the very fellows we’re supposed to be fighting? Shouldn’t we be calculating our foreign policy so that we deny them ground for operation and expansion, rather than create failed states that allow them to thrive? That would truly be smart power, but this administration seems to be more interested in lofty speeches rather than strategic planning and application of power.

“From the comments at Lucianne.com: First Psaki lies, saying this sit down was sponsored by Georgetown University. Then has to fess up that it involved State. Now the MB representative says that a representative from the White House participated. The Egyptians are beside themselves that this terrorist organization would be coddled by our highest levels, all the way up to the WH.” Muslim Brotherhood: White House Official Met Us at State Department

ISIS and Sharia In the U.s.

In Dallas. “ So do you have to be an Islamophobe bent on discriminating against little girls wearing hijabs in order to be concerned about these two imams setting up sharia shop in Dallas telling us to ignore the beheading behind the curtain? Based on the duplicity shown in their own interview with Glenn Beck earlier this week, there are already reasons to be concerned.

That said, should Muslims be allowed to exercise their religious liberties as freely as any other religion, and even operate their own courts of mediation and arbitration as other religions do? Of course, just as all of those other courts are in compliance with U.S. law and don’t violate public policy (e.g., by discriminating against women and other religions). All Americans should be free to express their views free from violence or any threat of violence. And we should say unequivocally that there is no carve-out exception for Islam, or any other religion or ideology for that matter, when it comes to complying with the Constitution.

But based on the explanations from these two imams already, the experience of how sharia courts are operating in other Western countries, how Islamic law itself is implemented throughout the Muslim world, and how virtually every school of Islamic jurisprudence at some points run counter to U.S. law and public policy, casting a skeptical eye on this enterprise seems warranted.” Sharia Court in Texas: What Could Go Wrong?

In Phoenix. “On February 4, 2015 the head of the FBI’s counterterrorism division, Michael Steinbach said that the FBI has seen children as young as 15 recruited by the Islamic State aka ISIS, ISIL. Two days later FBI Director James Comey said there are open cases looking into individuals who may be connected to ISIS in every state in the Union except Alaska. Evidence of the Islamic State’s successful recruiting efforts in America is literally written on the walls. Islamic State graffiti has appeared in Minneapolis, MN, Houston, TX, La Vegas, Nevada, Phoenix, AZ, Bakersfield, Ca, Washington, DC , Brooklyn, NY, and in many cities around the world. Followers of the U.S. designated terrorist group are showing their support in every form of graffiti from full color pieces to the graffiti genre of stickers; aka labels or slaps.” ‘ISIS Is Here’: Islamic State Graffiti in America

If you don’t already despise the elite media, the next few paragraphs should put the final pieces into place. No joke, some high-profile members of the elite media are now on their high horse (if you’ll pardon the expression) over the frenzied coverage of serial stolen valor liar Brian Williams.

Common Core

Home schooling looking better and better every day. “Starr spoke to a standing-room-only audience at the local public library and fought back tears as she announced her retirement at the end of the current school year. “I can’t do it anymore, not in this ‘drill ‘em and kill ‘em’ atmosphere,” she said. “I don’t think anyone understands that in this environment if your child cannot quickly grasp material, study like a robot and pass all of these tests, they will not survive.”

“I have faith in my students, but my students are reading at sometimes a fourth- and fifth-grade reading level,” said Starr, who teaches 9th grade students. “Each and every day, I have to look in my students’ eyes and tell them I can’t help them because the state has decided they have to prove what they know.”

Hillary Clinton

From Palo Verde RW member Paula Linker, on Hillary hiding: “Looks like there may be some flies in Hill’s inevitable ointment. The Hillary’s Hiding campaign is aggressive. O’Mally seems to be the only potential candidate not eligible for social security. Bernie Sanders is probably just a stalking horse for E. Warren.” “Hillary Clinton isn’t “running” for president. She’s hiding from the press and hoping to use an occasional Tweet to effect an appearance of engagemeant with the world she helped hatter through four years at State.

Every would-be GOP nominee ought to be making this point, every day in every speech, and demanding that the press begin to pursue Hillary not just about her ambitions for 2016 but also about the news that flashes across our screen every night –news undeniably connected to the world she helped “craft” for President Obama. Ukraine, Syria and Iraq are the obvious subjects on which she should be pressed, but she ought also to be asked about every current controversy, such as if she agrees that the targeting of a kosher deli was random, or if she supports the emerging “deal” with Iran. She ought to be asked about everything: She wants to be president.” Reince Priebus And The RNC Put The Focus On Hillary”s Silence Of The Sham

She’s been missing for a while. “The Republican National Committee has compiled some data on Hillary’s time in hiding:

Days since last press conference: 202

Days since she’s done an interview: 184

Days since she’s been in Iowa: 103

Days since she’s been in New Hampshire: 100

Days since she’s done an event that didn’t require significant speaking fees: 69

The Internet

Thank goodness for this brave man. “That, at least, is what Ajit Pai, one of the FCC’s two Republican commissioners, is claiming.

He says FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has a “secret plan to regulate the Internet” that “opens the door to billions of dollars in new taxes” on broadband services.

“I have studied the 332-page plan in detail, and it is worse than I imagined,” he said, adding that “the public has a right to know what its government is doing, particularly when it comes to something as important as Internet regulation.” FCC Keeps Its ‘Open Internet’ Plan Hidden From View

You can bet who will get scrutinized more, and won’t be anyone on the left. IRS scandal anyone? “Democratic Chairwoman Ann Ravel, who called the hearing, has said she wants to regulate politicking on the Internet, though she has pulled back amid a public outcry, especially among conservatives who see her move as a bid to silence center-right websites and Internet based conservative groups and news sites.” Dems on FEC open to new regs on donors, Internet

Emphasis mine. “TheDC: Previous attempts at regulating the internet have been shot down in the courts, why is it that this one seems to be a little scarier than the last ones?

PAI: Two different reasons. One is the unprecedented involvement of the executive branch in our decision-making. Traditionally the FCC has been an independent agency that, even though I and the other chairmen are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, we’re considered to be independent and render expert objective judgment about some of these difficult policy questions.

Here what you have is the president in an unprecedented way saying explicitly, “Not only do I want the FCC to do XY and Z, but this is the legal theory I want them to use to support it.” I think once that announcement was made, the trajectory of how our decision-making was proceeding, I think the writing was on the wall and the FCC felt like it was under enormous pressure to do what the president wanted us to do. And so that’s one fact.” FCC Commissioner: ‘Unprecedented Involvement Of Executive Branch In Our Decision-Making’

Obamacare

Key take away: “More expensive, while insuring fewer people.” What the heck?!?!?!?! “Taxpayers, however, should worry. A closer look at the CBO’s numbers shows that Obamacare is growing much more expensive — and disruptive.

From the comments: “News flash Mr. Prez…of course, this involves economics, which is beyond your scope of understanding. Publicly traded companies don’t answer to you…they answer to their shareholders and customers. If someone doesn’t like the employment conditions, they are free to leave. Also, if they make billions in profits, they are probably paying a boatload of taxes for you to redistribute…so you can shame them all you want…it is NONE of your business. Of course, you are importing third world illegal labor, perhaps you can encourage them to hire illegals…eh?” “President Obama doesn’t sympathize with companies that are cutting part-time hours to keep workers under the threshold of the 30-hour work week, thanks to Obamacare.

In an interview with Buzzfeed’s Ben Smith, Obama took issue with a story about the office supply company Staples threatening to fire workers who work more than 25 hours a week.

“I haven’t looked at Staples stock lately or what the compensation of the CEO is, but I suspect that they could well afford to treat their workers favorably and give them some basic financial security,” he said. “And if they can’t, then they should be willing to allow those workers to get the Affordable Care Act without cutting wages.” OBAMA LECTURES STAPLES FOR LIMITING PART TIME HOURS: ’SHAME ON THEM’

Political Parties

A really interesting history lesson! “Conservatism as we know it today did not really exist before the twentieth century. Prior to that, it was just the way things were done. The powers of the federal government were limited, states and localities were dominant, and people did not look to Washington DC to solve every last problem. Granted, the scope of federal power increased during the nineteenth century—for example, during the Civil War—but conservatives today are wont to celebrate those expansions.

Conservatism as we know it today did not really exist before the twentieth century. Prior to that, it was just the way things were done.

Conservatism really began to develop as a political force in the wake of the New Deal, which effectively inverted the constitutional schema. Previously, the federal government was only allowed to do what the Constitution expressly authorized. From the New Deal onwards, the government could more or less do anything that the Constitution did not expressly forbid. This inversion gave birth to the conservative movement.

We’ve got a terrific line up for our annual Christmas program. First up will be the Ignite Barbershop Quartet. Ignite began singing together after a quartet matching party in November 2015. They are all Champion members of Region 21’s Scottsdale Chorus and they will be singing for us!

After lunch, Congressional District 6 congressman, Representative David Schweikart, will talk to us about what’s happening in Washington DC, and provide us with a status of the Tax Bill working its way through the House of Representatives and Senate.

Finally, member Julia Graham will install our new 2018/2019 officers. We look forward to seeing you and be sure to bring a friend or two or three!